The House of Time
by IrishIsis
Summary: Cinder is your average teenager. When she moves into an old house, something very strange happens. A new take on Cinderella. Warning: includes time travel.
1. The House

Author's Note: I know this whole story is a far-fetched concept at best, but I hope you like it. Whether you love it or hate it, please review!

THE HOUSE OF TIME

CHAPTER ONE---THE HOUSE

"Here we are! Isn't the house great, honey?"

Cinder looked up at what was to be her new home. The hundred-year-old house had obviously gone through a lot, and just barely survived. Everything about it was crooked. The roof, the door, the porch... everything. What she assumed used to be white paint had practically left the walls of the house. In short, the house was anything but great in Cinder's mind.

"Yeah... it's just... wonderful..."

"Oh I just KNEW you'd love it," said her mother as she gave Cinder a crushing hug. "And now we'll be able to start all over again, nice and fresh."

But that was exactly the problem. Cinder didn't want to start all over again. She would have much rather stayed in slightly metropolitan Greenville, Pennsylvania, than move to rural Newbury, Vermont. She'd had friends in Greenville. She'd had a life there. She didn't have anything in Newbury. Except for a crummy house...

"Come on, Cinder. Let's have a look inside."

It was hard for her to not resent her mother for making them move... again. Still, she was her mother, and she obviously loved this house. The expression on her face was one of eagerness.

Cinder couldn't help but feel a little of her mother's excitement.

Her mother mother turned the key and opened the door. "Now watch your step. This house isn't quite what it used to be."

That's an understatement, thought Cinder.

The interior wasn't as terrible as she thought it would be. She had expected cobwebs everywhere and gaps in the floors. Instead, the rooms were relatively clean. Everything seemed worn, though... tired with the passing of time.

"Oh my goodness! Look at this stove!" Cinder walked over to the kitchen and looked inside. "It's ancient!" The way her mother said it, it seemed like a good thing. She wasn't too sure. I can't wait to see the bathroom, she thought.

"Hey Mom, I'm going to go back to the car and get my stuff, okay?"

"Sure. You can move into any room you like."

Oh goody.

She walked back to the parked station wagon. After years of traveling, Cinder had learned to own as few possessions as possible. There were just a few things that she could never part with... her books and her camera. She loved taking pictures. A picture is worth a thousand words, but, more than that, it captures a moment. It makes one feeling stand still forever, for all to see.

She grabbed her backpack and her camera. Now was her chance to explore her surroundings. She went back inside and went up the mahogany staircase. To her right was the bathroom she'd dreaded seeing. One toilet, one bathtub, no shower. Cinder groaned. She hated taking baths. They took too long. Besides, why would anyone want to soak in their own filth?

She turned left, away from the bathroom. There stood two doors. Cinder opened the first. Behind it was a large, circular room. Windows gave an excellent view of the street she and her mother had driven on moments earlier. In the middle of the room stood an iron-framed bed. Its presence seemed to dominate the room.

Cinder went back into the hall. This time, she entered the second door. This room was slightly smaller than the one she'd just visited, but it was neat and tidy. A sturdy bed leaned against the wall. One window overlooked the backyard. Looking out, Cinder could see the green mountains that were now to be her home. For a second, she felt connected to them, and it seemed they really were her home. However, the moment quickly passed.

She then noticed that the room led to another. The next room was not at all like the previous two. It was dark and dingy, probably from the fact that there were no windows to let the light in. Cinder shivered. The air seemed colder all of a sudden.

Quickly, she retreated back to the hallway. From the base of the stairs her mother asked, "Any room you like?"

"Not really. I think I'll just sleep on the couch downstairs tonight."

"Suit yourself. I think I'll go to the grocery store. Anything you want for dinner?"

"Not really."

"Alright. I'll be back in a few minutes."

After her mother left, Cinder started taking pictures of everything. She took pictures of the exterior of the house. She took pictures of all the rooms. She took pictures of the mountains. But, she avoided the windowless room.

Soon after, her mother returned.

"So, do you feel a little more settled in?"

"A little."

"Oh sweetheart, I know it's hard to move around so much, but it'll all turn out for the best in the end. You'll see."

Cinder didn't reply.

"Anyway, I've decided on pizza for dinner. I went by the diner and got one for us. How about it?"

So, not ready to try out the ancient stove? Come on, Mom, where's your sense of adventure... "That's fine."

"Well, go ahead and dig in."

As Cinder continued eating, one question kept nagging at her brain. "Hey Mom, do you know that room upstairs, the one without any windows? Who's room was it?"

Her mother frowned. "Hmm... actually, I think it was the maid's room."

Well, there's the first chapter. Please tell me what you think!


	2. The Photograph

Author's Note: I know this whole story is a far-fetched concept at best, but I hope you like it. Whether you love it or hate it, please review!

THE HOUSE OF TIME

CHAPTER TWO---THE PHOTOGRAPH

Cinder woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside the window. Well, this is certainly different, she thought. Back in Greenville, the noise of cars usually greeted her in the morning.

She rose from the couch and walked up the stairs to the bathroom. Still half asleep, she brushed her teeth and hair and prepared herself for a new day.

All of a sudden, she heard the loud beeping of the smoke alarm.

"What the hell?"

She ran downstairs to where the smoke came from. It was obviously from the kitchen.

"Fucking stove! You worthless, stupid piece of--- Cinder!" her mother exclaimed. "I didn't see you there."

"Hardly surprising with all the smoke in here," said Cinder as she waved an arm, trying to make the fumes go away. "What did you do?"

"I was trying to make you breakfast." It was then that Cinder noticed a pan containing what probably used to be eggs. "I suppose that didn't go too well."

"Not really."

"Oh well. Why don't we just go out and eat at the diner? Come on, it'll be my treat."

Cinder got to distinct feeling that she was going to be living off that diner for quite a while.

A few minutes later, they sat in a booth at Doris's Diner. A waitress came up to them with menus in her hand.

"Hello, my name is Abby, and I'll be your waitress today. Could I start you out with some drinks?"

Cinder's mother looked over the beverage section. "I'll have... coffee. Black."

Abby wrote the order down. "And for you?"

"I'll have iced-tea."

"Alright. I'll be back in a few minutes with your drinks."

"Thank you," said Cinder.

As soon as the waitress had left, her mother asked, "Why on earth would you have iced-tea for breakfast?"

Cinder shrugged. "It's the only thing I can drink in the morning without feeling sick."

Her mother shook her head. "It's not healthy. One of these days you're just going to have to get used to drinking milk or orange juice."

"Says the woman who drinks coffee all day long..."

"That's different. I'm an adult. I can choose to be unhealthy. You're still growing. You don't want bad decisions to bite you in the ass later on."

Cinder didn't respond.

It was obvious her mother didn't much care about the argument. Instead of waiting for some kind of reaction from Cinder, she quickly got distracted and exclaimed, "Oh look at those pictures!"

Cinder looked to where her mother was pointing. Hanging on the walls of the diner were photos donated by the Newbury Historical Society. All were in black and white and seemed to have been taken sometime in the early 1900's.

"Hey, there's one of our house!"

And there it was. Instead of being the decrepit house Cinder had awakened in earlier, it was in its prime. The walls were freshly painted and seemed to almost gleam in the sunlight. In front of the house stood a small gathering of people.

Cinder looked closer to make out the faces before her. The woman in the middle of the picture had a commanding air, demanding the attention of her observer. Her eyes shined evilly, and Cinder quickly looked away. Beside the woman stood two girls, neither one very pretty. Their smiles were overly sweet, and Cinder grimaced in disgust. When her eyes moved to the right, she froze.

"Oh my gosh, that girl looks exactly like you."

Truer words have never been spoken, thought Cinder. At first, she had thought that she'd been staring at her own reflection. The resemblance was uncanny.

"Here are your drinks."

Cinder broke visual contact with the picture and focused on the waitress.

After setting down the coffee and iced-tea, she said, "I see you've noticed the photographs."

"Oh yes," replied her mother. "There's a lovely one of our house."

The waitress seemed surprised. "Have you just moved here, then?"

"Sure have."

"Which house is yours, if you don't mind me asking?"

She pointed to the photograph. "That white one right there."

"The Stepp House?"

"Is that what it's called?"

The waitress nodded. "Pretty unusual house, if you ask me. There have been legends about it for years."

Cinder's mother seemed very interested. "Legends? What kind of legends?"

The waitress frowned. "Well, let's see... it's been a long time since I've heard any. There was one that my grandmother used to tell me about a girl appearing on the Stepp property out of thin air. The house was said to have magical powers."

"How fascinating!"

Cinder most definitely did not think so. She remembered the dingy room on the second floor. No, she certainly didn't think so.

"So, are you all set to order?"

I can't believe it took me almost a week to update. I'm so sorry! Thank you so much to ElvenSilver, panemonium, Losa, and Urazncandycane! Your reviews are what keep me going. So, please, keep on reviewing!


	3. The Prince

Author's Note: I know this whole story is a far-fetched concept at best, but I hope you like it. Whether you love it or hate it, please review!

THE HOUSE OF TIME

CHAPTER THREE---THE PRINCE

"Now Cinder, I have a very important job interview in Burlington today, so I won't be back until ten at the earliest. So, don't wait up for me, okay?"

"Okay."

"Goodbye, sweetheart," she said while giving her daughter a farewell hug.

"Bye, Mom."

Her mother proceeded to leave the room in her dark business suit. Cinder could hear the car door slam shut. The engine roared. After a few minutes, there was only silence.

Another day on my own, she thought.

She had no idea what to do. There was nothing to do in Newbury. Towns didn't get much smaller than that. The main attraction was the diner, and she'd already been there. Where else could she go?

Well, Cinder knew that she wasn't going to stay at home. The house certainly held less entertainment that the town.

She grabbed her camera. Cinder decided that if there wasn't any fun to be had, she could at least take pictures of what was there.

Out of the door she went, heading for the "center of town," if it could even be called that. All it was was a small, grassy area with a broken fountain in the middle.

At one corner was the diner. At another was the library. Across from the library stood the Newbury schools. Cinder took pictures of the three "hallmarks" of Newbury.

The library was her favorite. It was a sunshine-yellow color with white columns in the front. It just looked so inviting.

She was about to take another picture of it when somebody slammed into her, pushing her to the ground.

"Whoops. Sorry, didn't see you there."

Cinder looked at the person who'd so rudely run into her. He seemed to be about her age, sixteen or so. He had dark hair and laughing brown eyes. He certainly didn't appear to be very sorry.

"Hey, don't I know you from somewhere?"

Cinder looked him over. "I don't think so."

"Yeah... you're that girl who just moved into the Stepp house," he said, remembering her.

He held out his hand to her. "I'm your new neighbor, by the way. My name's Prince. Prince Charming."

Cinder started to laugh uncontrollably. "Prince Charming? What kind of name is that?"

Prince pretended to look offended. "It's no name to laugh at. It's quite respectable."

That only made her laugh harder.

He smiled. "Actually, my real name is Princeton. I was named after some old ancestor of mine. My parents thought it'd be some great tribute to him." His look made it clear that he did not think highly of his parents' decision. "So, is your name any better?"

"Not really." Cinder started to walk away. She had no interest in making polite conversation.

He followed her. "Oh come on, aren't you going to tell me what it is?"

"Cinder."

"Cinder? Are you kidding me?" He started to laugh. "And you thought my name was weird." He continued laughing until Cinder sent him a killer glare. The mirth died in his throat but remained in his eyes. "Alright, so what's your excuse?"

"It's none of your business," she said, hoping to make him shut up, knowing that he wouldn't. She wasn't disappointed.

"You know I won't leave you alone until you tell me. After all, I know where you live. You might as well get it over with as quickly as possible."

She sighed. She knew he was right. "It was a mistake."

"What?"

"My mom had planned on calling me Cindy, but I guess the doctor misunderstood her. Anyway, I ended up with the name Cinder on my birth certificate."

"Wow." He paused. "How is that even possible? Wouldn't they be a little more careful about making sure the name's right?"

Cinder started to get angry. "I don't know how it happened. All I know is that it did happen, okay?" She started to walk a little faster, in the direction of her house. Her main priority was to get rid of her unwanted companion.

After a moment of silence, he said, "It fits you. Your name, I mean."

"Oh, so I deserve to have a messed-up name, is that what you're saying?"

Calmly, he said, "Not really." Prince then grinned. "But, yeah."

Cinder was beginning to lose her patience. She'd had about enough of him. She contented herself with the fact that she was almost home. Finally.

"Ahh... the wonderful Stepp house..." said her partner. "Have you found the time machine yet?"

Cinder stopped walking. "What time machine?"

"Well, it's not actually a machine. They say that the house has mystical powers, including transporting people through time."

"That's ridiculous!"

"Don't you want to find out for sure, though?"

"Of course not! I already know that it's not possible!"

Prince walked past her and entered the house. She'd forgotten to lock it.

"What are you doing? Get out of there!"

"Relax. I'm just taking a look." He glanced at her with a smirk. "I promise I won't steal anything."

As if she trusted him enough to give any weight to his promise. Still, she knew it was useless to try to kick him out. She'd just keep an eye on him. If he tried anything, she'd call the police.

They walked around the first floor of the house not finding any sort of portal through time. After checking most of the second floor, with similar results, Cinder turned to Prince and said, "See? There is no such thing as any sort of time machine. Especially not in this house. Now leave, or I'll call the cops."

Prince looked behind her. "Wait a minute. What about that room?"

He was referring to the windowless room, the one room Cinder had conveniently left out of her tour. "There's nothing interesting in that room. It's just dark and gloomy."

Prince grinned. "Sounds perfect," he said while walking into the room.

Cinder unwillingly followed. Like the first time she'd entered, she began to feel uneasy.

Prince obviously felt the same way. "Wow. Great vibe," he said sarcastically.

This time, Cinder looked around the room carefully, noticing details. Surprise ran over her. On one of the walls, almost undetectable, was a little glass design shaped in the form of a slipper. She could have almost sworn it hadn't been there before.

Right at that same moment, Prince exclaimed, "Look at that!"

They both walked closer to the small decoration.

"What is it?" asked Cinder.

"Exactly what we're looking for," answered Prince while wiggling his eyebrows. "Let's see if it works. Go ahead and touch it."

"I'm not touching that."

"What, are you scared?"

"As a matter of fact, I am. Now let's go."

"You can't leave without seeing what'll happen!"

"Watch me."

Prince sighed dramatically. In a flash, he grabbed her hand, and both of their skins brushed the cool glass.

"I can't believe you did that!" yelled Cinder.

"I had to do it. You were about to ruin all the fun."

"You jerk."

Her insult only seemed to delight him.

"Well at least it's over now," said Cinder. "So, you can be your regular, annoying self elsewhere."

Just then, the room started to tilt a bit. A strong wind blew all around. It was so powerful that Cinder had to close her eyes.

"What the hell?" said Prince.

"What's going on?"

"I have no idea."

The room was no longer tilting; it was spinning. Cinder began to feel nauseated. Faster and faster the world around her twirled until finally, she dropped onto solid ground. Then everything went black.

Hey, this one's longer than the other chapters! Hope you liked it! This is for my reviewers:

panemonium- I still don't know if the prince is in the picture or not, but at least you got to meet him in this chapter. (smile)

Phillippa of the Phoenix- I threw in the explanation of her name just for you. I hope I made it believable.

Fiyero- Welcome! I hope you keep reading and reviewing. (Okay, I need to stop saying the word "hope.")

Urazncandycane- Always a pleasure to hear from you.

ElvenSilver- I know; I know. Procrastinating IS bad, but I can't help myself. Please forgive me.

Well, until next time. Please keep reviewing!


	4. The Past

Author's Note: I know this whole story is a far-fetched concept at best, but I hope you like it. Whether you love it or hate it, please review!

THE HOUSE OF TIME

CHAPTER FOUR---THE PAST

"Ahhhh!"

The piercing shriek slowly made its way through Cinder's dulled senses. Nothing quite made sense to her. Everything was a bit hazy.

Cinder looked up and saw a boy muffle the girl's scream. He seemed vaguely familiar...

"Shh! Stop screaming!" he whispered violently. "We're not here to hurt you."

The girl seemed to calm down a bit, enough to ask, "Wh-who are you?"

"We don't have enough time for introductions!"

It was then that Cinder noticed the sound of heavy footsteps, accompanied by a not-so-distant voice complaining, "What on Earth is going on?"

The boy begged, "Please, please, tell us how to get out of here. Quickly!"

The footsteps were coming closer and closer...

The girl hesitated for a brief moment and then said, "Go out that door and into the next room. Go down the stairs; they'll take you to the kitchen. Try to get out as fast as you can, and be very quiet. Make sure Mistress doesn't find you!"

Prince grabbed Cinder's hand and pulled her to her feet. "Come on... we have to hurry!" He glanced back at the girl. "Thank you." Then, he dragged Cinder into the next room as quickly as possible.

They had made it to the base of the narrow staircase, which was obviously reserved for servants, when they heard a very angry voice. "What is the meaning of this?"

"I-I'm terribly sorry, Madame. It will not happen again."

There was a loud slap. Cinder flinched.

"You better make sure it doesn't happen again, Lucille. I will not tolerate such behavior."

"Yes, Mistress."

Prince brought Cinder's attention back to the situation they found themselves in. "Come on, we have to get out of here."

Slowly, he opened the door separating the stairs and the kitchen. There didn't seem to be anybody around at the moment. Somebody had to be nearby, though, because something was cooking on the stove.

Cinder focused on the stove. All of a sudden, she realized that it was HER stove, as well as her house! But, she thought, that doesn't make sense...

"How do we get out without being seen?"

Cinder was about to answer, "I don't know." Instead, she was struck by an idea.

"If this is the kitchen, that means that the pantry is to our right. There should be some stairs that lead to the basement. We could probably escape through one of the windows down there."

"Okay, let's do it."

Together, they crept out from behind the door and went into the pantry. They came to the door guarding the entrance to the basement.

"This is it," whispered Cinder.

For an awful second, she thought the door might be locked. However, it easily allowed them to enter. Prince was only too happy to close the door behind him.

The basement was dark but rather large compared to the other rooms throughout the house. The floor was nothing but solidly packed dirt. Farming equipment lined the walls. On one side were two rather small windows.

"I don't think I can fit through either one of those," said Cinder.

"You won't have to." Prince pointed to a nearly hidden door beside the windows. They both walked over to it. As Cinder was about to turn the handle, Prince stopped her. "Before we go out there, we need a plan."

Cinder could only nod.

"We need some place safe to stay where we can... figure things out."

She nodded again. "What is this place? I mean, I know it's my house, but..." She left her comment unfinished.

Prince gave a nervous laugh. "Well, it seems that we've managed to travel through time."

If she was being honest with herself, Cinder would admit that she'd known this all along. The reality of it all, on the other hand, didn't hit her until just then.

"How do we go back?" she asked, trying to stay calm.

Prince seemed to have the same problem. "I don't know." He took a deep breath, hoping panic wouldn't overcome him. "I do know what the Stepps were like, though, so my main priority is to get out of here first. We can worry about everything else later."

"Okay, so what's our plan?"

"Well... my ancestors were supposedly decent people, and my family's lived next door for generations. Maybe I can convince them to have pity on a couple of kids for a few days."

"And how are we going to manage coming back to this house?"

"I already told you; we can worry about that later."

"Fine. So, what's our story?"

Prince thought for a while. "We came from New Hampshire to visit our grandparents who live-"

"How could we have the same grandparents? We don't look anything alike! Besides, our parents would be with us if we were visiting our grandparents."

"Well, do you have a better idea?" asked Prince angrily.

"Why don't we just say we're two friends who got lost? It's true enough."

Prince grinned. "Oh, so we're friends now. That's a nice change." He tilted his head and whispered in her ear, "I always knew you liked me..."

Cinder sneered at him. "Shut up." But, his closeness made her shiver.

Instead of continuing this topic, like she had expected him to, Prince cleared his throat and went back to the subject of escaping.

"Alright, we'll go with your story. What do we do about clothes?"

Cinder looked down at her T-shirt and jeans. She certainly didn't blend in very well. Prince, on the other hand, was dressed perfectly for the time. Well, enough so that he wouldn't attract attention.

"Maybe I should go over and explain our situation by myself. I could say that you were injured along the way and can't make your way to the door. I could come back for you with some extra clothes or something, and you could change..."

Cinder knew the plan was pathetic. If she was truly injured, she'd be rushed into the house as quickly as possible. A doctor would be sent for immediately. But, she couldn't be seen with her modern clothes. I can't believe this is happening to me, she thought.

Seeing no alternative, however, she simply said, "Okay."

"Just go and wait for me behind the barn. I'll come back for you."

Finally, they went out the basement door. The night disguised them as best it could. The air was cool, with a slight breeze.

Cinder went to her destination and watched Prince make his way to the neighbors' house.

Looking around her, everything was different. I'm in the past, she thought. I'm in the past.

She saw Prince knock on the door, but only faintly, with the lack of light. Somebody answered the door.

"Who's there?"

Cinder snapped her head back; some one had found her. Not knowing what to do, she ran as fast as she could.

"You there, stop! Stop!" The man ran after her and easily caught up with her. "There's no use in trying to run now."

Indeed, there was no use in trying. The man had her locked in his arms. She certainly wasn't getting out anytime soon.

Shame, shame, SHAME on me! I hope you'll all forgive me for giving you a mediocre chapter after not writing for so long. Thank you for the reviews from vanillafluffy, ElvenSilver (I love you!), Losa (Please be easy on me...), Phillippa of the Phoenix, panemonium, Fiyero, and Speaker For The Five Year. Now, I've had a few comments on Prince. Yes, he is annoying. But, his name's Prince... what do you expect? lol Anyway, he's not meant to be a bad person, and hopefully he'll grow on you as the story develops. In any case, I may not be able to update for a while, but I'll try my best. Reviews are still very welcome!


	5. The Sheriff

Author's Note: I know this whole story is a far-fetched concept at best, but I hope you like it. Whether you love it or hate it, please review!

THE HOUSE OF TIME

CHAPTER FIVE---THE SHERIFF

"Well, what have we here?"

Cinder cringed as she recognized the woman. Her voice matched the one that had screamed at the girl who'd tried to help her escape. Her face matched the one she'd first seen on the wall of the diner. In fact, she had that same look of evil about her.

The man who'd caught Cinder still held her tightly. He spoke to the woman. "I found her, Miss. She was lurking about, behind the barn."

The woman stepped out of the doorway and onto her porch, coming closer to Cinder. "Do you realize this is private property? I could have you arrested. In fact, I think I shall..."

Cinder's heart began to race. She had to do something! She couldn't afford to get arrested; it would cause too many problems. She already had enough of those. She had to think quickly...

"No! Wait!" she cried.

The woman looked at her expectantly.

"I didn't mean to intrude. I was simply passing through the region..."

The woman made an ugly noise, much like a snort. "I've no doubt. That's why you were hiding behind my barn. If you'd been left alone a moment longer, I'm sure something would have gone missing by tomorrow."

"I wouldn't have taken anything. I swear!"

"Silence!" The woman was seething with rage.

Perhaps Cinder hadn't taken the most tactful course of action to argue her point...

"Garrett," the woman called Cinder's captor. "Take her down to the sheriff's office."

Garrett nodded. "Right away, Mrs. Stepp."

Cinder was stunned and frightened. Garrett dragged her toward a horse and buggy. He forced her onto it. As a warning, he told her, "Don't get any ideas about running again, do you hear?"

The question obviously didn't require a response, and Cinder didn't give one.

Down the street they went. They headed toward a fountain located in the center of a grassy field. As Cinder looked around, she recognized the yellow library she had photographed only a few hours before.

Garrett stopped the horses and allowed them to have a quick drink at the fountain before moving on. Their final destination was a white house with a large sign reading "Sheriff" above the entrance.

Garrett helped her down and guided her to the front door. He knocked exactly three times. A few minutes later, a man appeared at the door. His appearance could best be described as disheveled. He didn't look too happy about being disturbed, but his face seemed kindly enough.

"Well, what is it, Garrett?"

"I'm sorry Sheriff Stevens to bother you like this, but I found this girl sneaking about the barn. Mrs. Stepp said to bring her to you."

The sheriff gave a small smile. "She did, did she? Well, come on in, the both of you. Let's discuss this inside."

Cinder was pushed inside, into the light. Both men stared at her. She almost asked, "What?" Then, she realized what they were looking at... her clothes.

The sheriff was the first to acknowledge them. "That is a very... interesting choice of apparel."

How was she going to explain them?

"Uh... yes... well, I made these for comfort. I was planning on traveling extensively and did not want to be slowed down by petticoats and the like."

"I see..." responded the sheriff, though neither man quite believed nor understood her story. "In any case, what exactly were you doing on the Stepp property?"

She tried to think quickly. "As I said, I have been traveling quite a bit. I was simply looking for a place to rest a while before I was on my way."

"Were you planning on staying the night?"

"Certainly not there," she answered quite honestly.

"Well," concluded the sheriff, "I don't see any grounds upon which to make an arrest."

Cinder sighed a breath of relief.

"I will, however, have to make a note of this incident. What is your name, dear?"

"Cinder Ella Mathews."

"Well, Miss Cinder Ella, make sure I don't hear from you anytime soon. Other than that, you are free to go on with your journey."

Now what was she supposed to do?

"I do wonder, sheriff, if I could not be of any help in this town. Now that my journey has been delayed anyway, I see no reason to hurry my departure."

The sheriff paused to think. "If a job is what you're looking for, I believe Mr. Brooks is looking for some one to help him. He's the town doctor, you see."

"Doctor?"

"Yes. Lives right next door, in the pretty yellow house. You can't miss it."

I'm sorry this chapter's so short, but I wanted to post something before I leave. I'll be gone for two weeks, which means I won't be able to post anything during that time. (Sorry!) Hopefully, you'll all enjoy this chapter (even though it's probably the worst one so far), and I'll try to make it up to you as soon as possible.

Tiger Lily21- Thanks for reading! I hope to hear from you again soon!

Losa- As always, thanks for the help and support. Did I make the character distinctions better this time? I'm still working on it!

Phillippa of the Phoenix- Thank you so much for still reading! Your reviews mean so much to me!

Do I have to say it? Please review!


	6. The Doctor

Author's Note: I know this whole story is a far-fetched concept at best, but I hope you like it. Whether you love it or hate it, please review!

THE HOUSE OF TIME

CHAPTER SIX---THE DOCTOR

Cinder walked into the night, away from Garrett and the sheriff. Garrett quickly rode back to the Stepp house. She was now all alone. It was a feeling she did not enjoy...

She took a deep breath and walked toward the doctor's house. How odd to think that it would someday be a library.

Doubts flooded her head. Will he take me in? What if he doesn't? What will I do? There was only one question she couldn't bare to let herself think of. It still lurked in the back of her mind, though. What if I can never go back home?

She finally came to the doctor's residence. It looked much as she had remembered it, though much of it was concealed in the dark.

She hesitantly walked to the front door and knocked. Not a sound was made in response. For a moment, Cinder feared the doctor was absent. She knocked louder. Finally, she heard rustling inside the house.

She'd barely heard the noise when the door flew open. An anxious man looked at her. "What is it? Is somebody hurt? Quick! Answer me!"

Cinder was in shock. It took her a moment to recover and reply, "No one is hurt."

Relief washed over the doctor's features. He seemed quite happy about the fact that his medical services were not needed. "In that case, what do you want?"

"I heard that you were interested in finding an assistant. I was wondering if I could have the honor of filling that position."

The doctor looked at her, bewildered. It wasn't until then that she realized just how young he appeared. He couldn't have been older than twenty-five. An unpleasant idea struck Cinder. What kind of "help" did he want?

Understanding dawned on the doctor's face. "Oh yes! Come on in!"

Cautiously, she entered the house. What other alternative did she have anyway?

He led her to a small parlor to her right. "Have a seat. Would you like something to drink?"

"No thank you."

Cinder was amazed at how welcoming he was. Even the kind sheriff had been a little angry that she and Garrett had disturbed him so late. The doctor didn't seem to mind at all.

"In that case, I hope you don't mind if I have something, Miss..."

"Cinder. Cinder Mathews."

She had expected some kind of comment about or reaction to her name, but none came. He simply made himself a cup of tea.

"Are you interested in a job, then?"

Still having doubts about what her duties would involve, she gave her answer with a slight reluctance. "Yes."

"Good. I really was getting quite lonely in this big house."

Alarms went off in Cinder's head. Oh no, what have I gotten myself into?

"The work may not be quite as enjoyable for you as it is for me, but I'm sure you'll get used to it after a while."

Cinder's panic continued to grow. It was just her overactive imagination, she told herself. The sheriff would never send her to an unprofessional man... would he?

"How comfortable are you around blood?"

The question caught her off guard, though it was natural enough coming from a doctor.

"Well, I'm not particularly squeamish."

"Perfect!" The doctor seemed overjoyed. "We'll get along just fine."

"Excuse me for asking, but what exactly would I be required to do?"

"Oh, not much at all. I'm just a very absent-minded fellow. I need somebody to look after my medical equipment and make sure everything's in order." He paused slightly. "So, still interested?"

"Of course."

"I suppose I shall see you tomorrow, then."

"Well, you see, the situation is such that I have no place to stay."

"Oh." The doctor paused. "In that case, I suppose you might as well stay here. Why don't you go upstairs and stay in the first bedroom to your left? There should be some clothes in the closet."

At the mention of clothes, Cinder remembered that she was still in her modern-day attire. The doctor either did not notice or did not care. She figured it was probably a combination of both. He really was an absent-minded man.

"Thank you, sir."

"Just call me Mr. Brooks." He then turned around, put down his teacup on the table, and left.

Not knowing what to do, Cinder waited for him to come back. After a few minutes, she realized that he'd probably just gone back to bed. What a strange person, she thought.

Well, I might as well do the same...

As she walked up the stairs, she became increasingly conscious of just how tired she really was. Upon entering her new bedroom, she did not even bother to observe her surroundings. She simply fell on her bed and slept.

Hey! I'm finally back... and writing! Sorry I didn't update sooner; please forgive me. As always, tell me what you think.

Losa- So, how was this chapter? Better? Worse? Any direction you'd like for it to go?

Tiger Lily21- I hope this chapter met your expectations! Please keep reading and reviewing!

Phillippa of the Phoenix- Don't worry; I haven't forgotten about Prince. As for why she's in the picture... that's a good question. One that I don't know the answer to yet. lol I'll try to figure it out soon.


	7. The Charmings

Author's Note: I know this whole story is a far-fetched concept at best, but I hope you like it. Whether you love it or hate it, please review!

THE HOUSE OF TIME

CHAPTER SEVEN---THE CHARMINGS

Cinder could feel the warmth of the early morning sun rays on her skin. She snuggled deeper under the covers, smiling to herself. Her eyelids were still closed, and she had no intention of opening them any time soon.

A loud crash downstairs woke her abruptly. So much for sleeping in, she thought resentfully. Cinder sighed. Well, she had to get up sometime anyway...

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the light. When they did, Cinder finally remembered where she was: in the past. The realization hit her like a rock. A rather large rock. The day didn't look as bright all of a sudden.

Cinder took a deep breath. She'd already accomplished so much in the few hours she'd spent in this time period. She'd gotten a place to stay, some new clothes, or old clothes rather, and a job. The only thing she had left to do was find Prince and go back home. It couldn't be too hard, could it?

She decided she really didn't want that question answered. Instead, she turned to the closet and hunted for some appropriate clothes. Inside was a corset. Cinder had no intention of wearing one. She'd seen too many television programs on how they rearranged one's organs. After looking at the dresses, she realized she wouldn't need one anyway. They were all much too big on her. In the end, she put on some of the undergarments she had found and the dress that fit her best. She looked at herself in one of the mirrors and considered herself decent enough to go downstairs.

Leaving her room, she heard two distinct voices: one male and one female. The male voice, of course, belonged to Mr. Brooks. Cinder, however, could not guess the owner of the feminine tones.

"Once again, I cannot tell you how sorry I am for having caused this whole mess," said the woman.

"Nonsense!" cried the doctor. "I have only my clumsiness to blame. I have dropped worse things than a tea kettle, and without you there to distract me."

A short pause followed, during which Cinder walked into the kitchen. Both turned to look at her.

Mr. Brooks cleared his throat. "Ah! Miss Mathews! Finally awake, I see." He turned to the other woman. "Miss Fairfax, may I introduce you to Miss Mathews, my new assistant."

"Delighted to meet you," replied Miss Fairfax. Though she didn't say the words without kindness, she seemed less than delighted at having to share Mr. Brooks' attention.

Cinder simply nodded in response to the greeting.

"Well, Miss Fairfax, did you wish to tell me something?" asked the doctor.

"Yes. You're wanted at the Charming House. Mr. Princeton has finally arrived." Cinder jumped at the name, but no one seemed to notice. "However, Madam Charming wishes for him to be... examined." Almost whispering, she continued, "It seems he had quite a difficult journey and isn't quite himself. She would like reassurance of both his physical and mental health."

"Of course. We shall be there right away," said Mr. Brooks.

With a nod of acknowledgment, Miss Fairfax left the kitchen. Mr. Brooks watched her walk away for a few moments. He then turned to Cinder, "Well, are you ready for your first task?"

"I suppose."

"Go fetch me my medical bag while I get the carriage ready. It should be on the dresser in that bedroom over there." He pointed to a chamber across the hall.

Cinder quickly found the bag, and they were soon off to the Charming House. The Charmings were, without a doubt, quite wealthy. Their house was massive and solidly built. It seemed like nothing could destroy it. Indeed, it would last for at least another hundred years.

Without even having to knock, the front door flew open. Facing them was a plump, middle-aged woman.

"Mr. Brooks, thank you for coming so quickly," she said.

"It is always a pleasure to come to your house, Mrs. Charming."

Mrs. Charming smiled at the flattery but didn't put too much value on the comment. She obviously didn't let compliments go to her head. Cinder automatically liked her.

"Well, come on in. My nephew's still sleeping. I fear he was quite exhausted last night. You may wait in the parlor while I wake him."

As she turned to leave, she finally noticed Cinder. "Oh my! I'm so sorry; I didn't notice you. What a terrible hostess I am!"

"It's quite alright," replied Cinder with a small smile.

"Of course it isn't! I should know better. In any case, I'm Mrs. Charming, as I'm sure you've already realized. And who may you be?"

"Cinder Mathews, Mr. Brooks' assistant."

"I see. Well, Mr. Brooks, Miss Mathews, please go on into the parlor. I shall be with you momentarily."

With that, she went up the stairs to fetch the sleeping Prince.

Okay, so the last line's a little corny. Sorry... I couldn't help myself. For all of you who have been wondering what Prince has been up to, I PROMISE he'll be in the next chapter. Well, keep reviewing!

vanillafluffy- Glad to hear from you again! I've still got a few things to figure out, but I'll think of something eventually. lol

Tiger Lily21- Mr. Brooks has really grown on me. I think you'll see more of him throughout the story. (ooh... foreshadowing...)

LosaLou- Your wish is my command. I've already got somebody lined up to be the doctor's love interest. (Can you guess who it is? I'm sure you can...)


	8. The Examination

Author's Note: I know this whole story is a far-fetched concept at best, but I hope you like it. Whether you love it or hate it, please review!

THE HOUSE OF TIME

CHAPTER EIGHT---THE EXAMINATION

After approximately five minutes of waiting, Mr. Brooks and Cinder were once again greeted by Mrs. Charming... without Prince. With an odd expression on her face, made up mostly of annoyance, Mrs. Charming spoke to Mr. Brooks. "Perhaps it is best if you should come upstairs and examine Prince there."

Mr. Brooks rose, a slight frown on his face, and followed Mrs. Charming. Cinder, not knowing exactly what to do, but not wanting to stay alone, decided to go with them.

Mrs. Charming led them to a small, cozy room to the right of the staircase. In the middle of the room sat a medium-sized bed with a slightly larger person sleeping upon it. The youth was lying on his stomach, his four limbs spilling over the four corners of the bed. His mild snores shook the bed slightly.

"I've tried to wake him," Mrs. Charming explained, "but he simply changes position. I think it is time to use a less... gentle approach."

With that said, Mrs. Charming moved to the desk next to Prince's bed, grabbed the pitcher of water sitting on it, and dumped its contents on Prince.

Prince gave a loud yelp and ungracefully slid off his bed and onto the floor.

"What... what's going on?" His sleepy eyes slowly opened. They focused on the first thing they encountered... Cinder. "Cinder? What are you doing here?"

Cinder froze. Mr. Brooks and Mrs. Charming stared at her. How was she going to get out of this problem? A few moments later, Prince realized his mistake. He looked stricken.

"You two know each other?" asked Mrs. Charming. She hid her surprise well, no doubt awaiting a logical explanation. Cinder's mind raced to find one...

Prince, however, came to her aid. "Yes. We... uh... met last night. Very briefly. I... uh... directed her to the center of town and advised her to find a place to stay for the night."

Mrs. Charming looked appalled. She turned to Cinder. "Were you traveling alone last night? With no place to stay?"

Feeling any answer would be unsatisfactory, Cinder settled for the truth. "Yes."

Mrs. Charming was now furious... and all her anger was directed towards Prince. "Did it not occur to you to simply bring the poor girl here? Really, Princeton... Did you think I would not welcome her here?"

Prince squirmed under her harsh glare. "No... that is to say, I did not think of it."

Trying to reign in her anger, Mrs. Charming faced Mr. Brooks and smiled. "How very fortunate that you took Miss Mathews in, Mr. Brooks. Of course, a gentleman like yourself would do no less." She glanced pointedly at Prince while uttering the last sentence. "But, let us continue our business here. Mr. Brooks commence your examination, if you please."

"E-examination?" Prince nervously looked at the doctor.

"Yes. After your... unexpectedly long and tiring journey, I would like to know, with absolute certainty, that you are quite well," replied Mrs. Charming.

Prince stood up straight. "I'm fine. You don't need a doctor to tell you that."

"All the same, I would still like Mr. Brooks to give me his professional opinion. Mr. Brooks, please proceed."

With a slightly shaky voice, Prince asked, "What exactly are you going to do to me, doctor?"

"Oh... nothing to worry about," said Mr. Brooks, his smile reassuring. "Miss Mathews, would you hand me my medicine bag?" Prince's eyes became glued to the bag as it was passed on to the doctor. "Now, Mrs. Charming, would you please leave me with my patient and my assistant?"

"Of course."

As soon as the door clicked shut, Mr. Brooks turned to Cinder. "This is your first lesson, Miss Mathews. Pay close attention."

"Oh great... I'm the guinea pig now..." mumbled Prince under his breath.

"What was that, Mr. Charming?" Mr. Brooks inquired.

"Nothing."

"Now, the first step in determining a patient's physical health is to make sure that all body parts are working properly." He followed this statement by ordering Prince to bend and move into a number of different positions. After ten minutes of this, Mr. Brooks seemed satisfied. "All seems in order."

Prince had almost sighed with relief... but Mr. Brooks continued. "Now... on to your mental health." Prince's eyes grew larger. "Let me ask you a few questions..."

"What kind of questions?"

"Well, for one, what happened on your journey to visit your aunt?"

Prince seemed quite happy to be asked this question. He'd obviously answered it before. "Well, I was riding up from New Hampshire, and somehow got lost. I must have taken a wrong turn. Eventually, I did find my way to Lancaster. I followed the trail to Newbury until darkness started to settle in. I decided to rest for a little while. I must have fallen deeply asleep because the next thing I knew, my possessions were all gone, including my horse. I walked the remainder of the way, which was, thankfully, not very long."

"I see," said the doctor after a pause. "Well, any man who can tell such a story in such a manner must be quite sane. I shall go and reassure your aunt." With that, Mr. Brooks left the room.

Prince and Cinder were finally alone together. Cinder was able to ask all the questions that had been building inside of her at last. "What happened yesterday? Why does everyone think you're Mrs. Charming's nephew? What's going on?"

"Shh!" Prince whispered. "Keep your voice down. Somebody might hear you."

Cinder waited for answers to her questions.

"Look... I didn't mean for this to happen. I had every intention of telling Mrs. Charming the story we made up, but I didn't get the chance. As soon as the maid opened the door, she started to gush over me, saying things like, 'Oh we're so glad you've made it, Mr. Princeton. We were beginning to think something terrible had happened to you.' She made such a fuss over me, I didn't even have time to say anything. Then Mrs. Charming came in and did the same thing. It was a nightmare. I finally figured out that they were expecting Mrs. Charming's nephew, who happened to look like me and have my name. I made up some story to explain why it took me such a long time to get here. I'm not sure they bought it, but they haven't kicked me out yet."

Cinder was speechless for a moment. When she regained her voice, it shook with anger. "So, you were here, all nice and cozy, while I had to fend for myself out there? YOU're the one who got us here in the first place!"

"Hey! I tried to go back and get you as soon as I got the chance, but you'd already left!"

"You want to know WHY I left? I got ARRESTED, you jerk!"

"Arrested?" The word stunned Prince. "You got arrested? What for?"

"Trespassing. But the sheriff let me go."

"The sheriff? The SHERIFF got dragged into this?" Prince seemed incredulous.

"YES! Okay?"

"Wow... I'm sorry."

Those two words were all that were needed to make Cinder's anger disappear. "Look, just forget it."

Silence fell between them. "So... how'd you end up with the doctor?"

"It's a long story. How are we going to get back to our own time?"

Prince sighed sadly. "I don't know. We'll have to find some way of getting back to the Stepp House. I don't see any other option, do you?"

Unfortunately, she could not. "No."

"Then, we'll have to somehow get there at the same time, sneak in, and find some method of getting back to the future."

Put in those words, the situation seemed hopeless.

Cinder and Prince began to hear light footsteps getting nearer. Quickly, Prince whispered to Cinder, "Let's focus on meeting again first."

"How are we going to do that?"

"Leave it to me. I'll take care of it."

I tried looking up how doctors examined their patients in the early 1900's, but I couldn't really find anything. So, if it's not accurate, it's not because I didn't try. (Of course, I could have tried harder, but I'm too lazy...) Speaking of lazy, it's been almost a month since the last time I updated. I am SO sorry! Please don't kill me! (If you do, it'll take me even longer to update!) Still, please read and review!

Tiger Lily21- Sorry I didn't get a chance to focus on Mr. Brooks in this chapter... maybe in the next one...

panemonium- Oh, you'll get to see the Stepps again... and there WILL be a ball (if I can ever get to that part), but I'm not sure about a fairy godmother...

Phillippa of the Phoenix- I like Mrs. Charming, too. :)

ElvenSilver- Well... so much for updating soon... (guilty face)... Hope you still like the story, though.


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